Section clamp



March 19, 1940. ZOL 2,194,367

SECTION CLAMP Filed Aug. 9, 1939 29 INVENTOR.

Hal-011:1 I LPETZEIIEI 1 ATTORN EYS.

Patented Mar. 19, 1940 U NlTEDhSTATES PATENT OFFECE SECTION CLAIHP I e 7 Harold M. Petzold,"Portland, Oreg.

"Application August. 9,

7 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in sectional signboards and clamps therefor, of the general character shown in U. S. Patent 1,755,360

to Olmsted, wherein panel sections are provided x 1. with adjacent flanges that are clamped together and supported by yokes.v In this Olmsted patent, the yokes are so constructed as to require forcing into straddling relation to the adjacent flanges, of the panel sections, and in removing theyokes, the flanges or the marginal edges of the panelsections are liable to become damaged. Furthermore, each'yok'e is provided with opposite jaws, one including a lug and the other having a notch adapted to receive a wedge, the arrange- 1 ment requiring the'removaland driving-back ofv tional. signboard construction including a sup-,

port,'panel sections, and a yoke secured inclamp ing relation to .the'panel sections by the same means that secures the yoke to the support.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sectional signboard including a clamp so constructed as to reducedamage'to the panel sections to a'minimum. A still further object is to provide an economical clamp that may be stamped from strip metal. The invention also aims to provide a clamp of the character described that eliminates the use 40 of wedges,such as horse-shoe nails and cut nails,

between the clamp and panel sections.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the following detailed description,v taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in rear elevation of the sectional signboard construction,

Figure 2 is a'fragmentary perspective detail 50 view of the sectional signboard construction including my improved sectionf'clamp.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are views, partly in rear elevation and partly in vertical section, and reu spectively showing the clamp in non-gripping,

1939, Serial No. 289,317

partially gripping and fully gripping relation adjacent flanges of the panel sections.

In the drawing, which for the purpose of illus f Q tration shows onlyv a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters denote corresponding parts thruout the several views, l0. generally'designates the sec-H:

tional signboard construction, including support means II, comprising spaced vertical posts J2,

cross rails l3 and a rectangular frame l4 enclosing a plurality of vertical panelsections l5.

At their meeting edges, these panel sections I5 are provided with rearwardly extending flanges I6 including suitable surface irregularities for gripping-purposes .In the example shown, these surfaceirregularities for gripping purposes consist of intra-marginal grooves H extending longitudinally ofsuitable; reeniorcement strips it, but it will be understood that various formsoif surface irregularities may be employed. Ribs or shoulders, such as formed at 19, by the marginal portions 2B of panel sections l5,-may constitute surface irregularities for gripping purposes, if

desired. i Referring now prises a yoke plate 26 including a shank 21 provided with an opening'ZS and spaced jaws 29- extending in dihedrally opposite directions from the forward end of the shank. ,I n the. production.

of these yoke plates by stamping from a continuous strip of metal, the material removed bee tween spaced jaws Z9 atthe forward end. of one.

yoke plate forms a tailpiece 38 at the rear end of an adjacent yoke plate. At their forward end portions, said jaws29 are provided with inturned tooth-like lugs 3! spaced to straddle the adjacent flanges l6 of the panel sections l5 upon disposition of the shank 26 in skew relation to a supporting rail 13. Upon disposition of said shank 26 in normally seated relation to a supporting rail IS, the inturned lugs 3! grip the surface irregularities of adjacent flanges l6, such as formed by grooves H, as shown in Figures2 and 5.

Means such as nail 35, is provided to secure the yoke plate 25 to the supporting rail I 3 and in clampingrelation to said adjacent panel sections. Partially driven into the rail 13 and extending through opening 28, with the jaws 29 of the yoke plate 25 straddling flanges l5, as shown in Figure 4, the nail serves to guide the shank 21 into normally seated relation to the supporting raill3, the shank being tapped down flat against the rail with a hammer. The upper portion 36 of the nail 35 is thenbent laterally to engage to the clamp 25 ,the same cornand hold the shank in its clamping position, as shown in Figure 5.

In order to remove the clamp, it is only necessary to extract the nail 35, then lift the clamp upwardly by tail piece 30, twisting the latter in a counter-clockwise direction to lower the left jaw and elevate the right jaw, whereupon the clamp may be removed by drawing backwardly.

Various changes in the shape, size and ar rangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following. claims.

I claim:

l. The combination with a signboard of the charter comprising a support and panel sections having adjacent flanges provided with intra-marginal surface irregularities -for gripping pur! poses, of a clamp comprising a yoke plate including a shank and jaws extending from the" shank, said jaws being disposed in dihedral angular relation and spaced to straddle said adjacent flanges upon disposition of said shank in skew relation to said support and togrip said surface irregularities upon disposition of said shank in normally seated relation to said support, and means to secure said shank in said normally seated relation.

2. The combination with a signboard of the character comprising a support and panel sections having adjacent flanges provided with intra-marginal grooves for gripping purposes, of a clamp comprising a yoke plate including a shank and jaws extending from the shank, said jaws 1 being disposed in dihedral angular relation and provided with inturned lugs spaced to straddlesaid adjacent flanges upon disposition of said shank in skew relation to said support and to grip the walls of said flange grooves upon disposition of said shank in normally seated relation to said support, and means to secure said shank in said normally seated relation.

'3. The combination with a signboard of the character comprising a support and panel sec- 45 tions having adjacent flanges provided with in- 4. The combination with a signboard for the character comprising a support and panel sections having adjacent flanges provided with intra-marginal surface irregularities for gripping purposes, of a clampcomprising a shank and spacedjaws extending in dihedrally divergent directions from the shank, said jaws being provided with inturned lugsspaced to'straddle said adjacent flanges upon disposition of said shank in skew relation to. said support andto gripsaid surface irregularities upon disposition of said shank in normally seated relation to said support, and means to secure said shank in said normally seated relation.

5. A clamp'for a signboard of the character comprising a support and panel sections having adjacent flanges, said clamp comprising a yokeplate including a shank and jaws extending in dihedrally opposite directions from the shank, i

said jaws being provided with inturned lugs spaced to straddle said adjacent flanges upon disposition of. said" shank in skew relation to a said support and to grip said adjacentflanges upon disposition of said shank in normally seated relation to said support. v

s. The combination with a sig boara of the character comprising a support and panel sec- I, tons having adjacentflanges, of a clamp com-- prising a yoke plate including a shank provided I i with an opening and jaws extending in dihedrally opposite directions fromthe shank, saidjaws being spaced to straddle said adjacent flangesupon disposition of said shank in skew relation to said support and to grip said jacent flanges L upon disposition 'of-saidf'shank in normally seated relation tosaid support, and means extending thru said shank opening to secure saidshank in said normally seated relation to the support.

7. The combination with'asignboard of the char-f acter comprising a support and panel sections having'adjacent flanges,:of a clamp comprising. a yoke plate including a shank provided with an;

opening and jaws extending in dihedrally op; posite directions 'from the shank, saidjaws being spaced to straddle said adjacent flanges upondisposition of said shank in skew relationto said support and to grip said adjacent flanges upon disposition of said shankin normally-seated re lation to said support, and a nail extend-ingthrusaid shank opening into said support and in--.

cluding a laterally bent portion securing, said shank in said normally seated relation to said support. v I HAROLD M. PETZO L D. 

